Virginia LPN Salary

LPN Salary in Virginia - A Closer Look at Becoming an LPN in Virginia

The average LPN salary in Virginia is $47,000. This is slightly more than the nationwide average LPN salary of $46,000. Most LPNs in the state of Virginia can expect to make around this amount, as many of the employers are offering competitive salaries. LPNs who have just graduated with their LPN certificate can expect to earn a starting salary of $23,000. While most LPNs can expect to earn around the average LPN salary of $47,000, there are a few things that can be done to improve your chances of earning a higher salary.

The first thing you can do to improve your chances of earning a salary that is higher than the average LPN salary in Virginia is to consider picking up the shifts employers deem "undesirable". Employers often consider shifts that are longer than eight hours, or ones that require individuals to work at night as undesirable. In an effort to encourage employees to work these shifts, employers will sometimes offer them $4-$7 an hour more than the dayshift. This potential increase not only encourages people to volunteer for these unwanted shifts, but helps to compensate for the inconvenience caused by working these night shifts.

Another thing you can do to improve your chances of earning a salary that is higher than the average LPN salary in Virginia is to pick a high stress environment to work in. High stress environments can include emergency rooms or urgent care centers. These healthcare environments are deemed high stress because the patients that come in present unpredictable situations, and the patient turnaround time can be quick. Working in these high stress environments can be intense. Employers hope to off-set the intense nature of these environments by offering a higher than average salary to employees.

Another way you can improve your chances of earning a salary that is more than the average LPN salary in Virginia is to work in a specialized medical field. Doctors, hospitals and private practices will offer individuals who are trained to work in specialized medical fields more because of the extensive knowledge and expertise needed to work in these fields. Specialized medical fields can include cardiology, neurology, urology, geriatrics, pediatrics, and OBGYN. LPNs might not be able to start out in these specialized fields of medicine, but over time as they gain experience they can work in these specialized fields. The average salary of an LPN who works in a specialized field of medicine is between $47,000 and $79,000.